Golf course

ABSTRACT

A golf course of the &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;target-golf&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; -type includes three different groups of targets, all of which are approximately the same size. The targets of the first group each have a target surface comparable to a conventional closely cropped grass golf green and are located relatively close to the tee positions to provide targets for chipping and approach shots. The targets of the second group each include a target surface which is defined by a uniformly sized central area of water surrounded by a surface having the characteristics of a conventional closely cropped grass golf green. The targets of the second group are located more remote from the tee positions than the targets of the first group. The targets of the third group each include a target surface defined by water alone and are located more remote from the tee positions than the second group of targets. Putting greens are located rearward of the tee positions. Between every other tee position there is a trap and, alternately, a rough area. The putting greens and tee positions may be protected from the weather by an enclosure including an air screen through which golf balls are driven into the fairway area.

United States Patent Vallas Mar. 14, 1972 [54] GOLF COURSE 12 Inventor: Theodore L. Vallas, 3202 Vista Way, [57] ABSTRACT Oceanside, Calif. 92054 A golf course of the target-golf"-type includes three different [22] Filed: m 4 1968 groups of targets, all of which are approximately the same size.

Appl. No.: 781,022

Primary Examiner-George J. Marlo Att0meyl-lerbert C. Schulze The targets of the first group each have a target surface comparable to a conventional closely cropped grass golf green and are located relatively close to the tee positions to provide targets for chipping and approach shots. The targets of the second group each include a target surface which is defined by a uniformly sized central area of water surrounded by a surface having the characteristics of a conventional closely cropped grass golf green. The targets of the second group are located more remote from the tee positions than the targets of the first group. The targets of the third group each include a target surface defined by water alone and are located more remote from the tee positions than the second group of tar gets. Putting greens are located rearward of the tee positions. Between every other tee position there is a trap and, altemately, a rough area. The putting greens and tee positions may be protected from the weather by an enclosure including'an air screen through which golf balls are driven into the fairway area.

' 1 Claim, 1 Drawing Figure FPFPQPFP'FFUFPPPPPQPPP Patented March 14, 1972 3,649,027

Fringe FFPMPPPFFUPPPPPPQPPP Fri-M415 GOLF COURSE CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is related to my previously filed applications, said applications being Ser. No. 222,883, filed July 7, l965, Ser. No. 502,895, filed Oct. 23, 1965, now abandoned, and Ser. No. 646,025, filed June 14, 1967, now US. Pat. No. 3,464,703.

While related to the prior applications this application is deemed an entire new concept wherein a standardized course is made available.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention lies in the general field of golf games, but more particularly this provides a completely standard field of play.

2. Description of the Prior Art The prior art is illustrated by numerous attempts to provide miscellaneous driving ranges and targets for golf, including such layouts as I have previously indicated in some of my applications above referenced.

There have been, however, no golf playing layouts such as is described here wherein it is possible to and is actually accomplished that a standardized golf layout is provided in which players can accurately be judged as to their performance under very precise and comparable conditions, and where the players may be observed simultaneously by spectators.

SUMMARY The game of golf is played throughout the entire world and in general occupies a very large area and normally a long time is required to play a round of golf.

Since each golf course is somewhat different in its layout it has not been possible in the past to really compare different players playing upon different courses and to establish proper handicaps since different handicaps are established at different places and under different conditions.

The invention provides a standard layout of a golf course, much the same as all other competitive sport fields are layed out to be standard for all who play on them. Example: 1. Baseball fields are all standard as far as spacing between base paths, distance from pitchers mound to home base, height of pitchers mound, etc. 2. Basketball courts have standard distances between baskets, courts all have same distances from foul lines, height of baskets are all the same, width of courts are the same, etc. 3. Football fields are all standard I yards in length, 60 yards wide with l0 yards stripes, goal posts a standard distance and height and side lines the same, 4. Soccer fields all standard. 5. Volleyball courts all standard. 6. Tennis courts are all standard. 7. Hockey rinks are standard. 8. Hand ball courts-standard, in fact almost all competitive sports are played on a standard field for all participants with the same rules of play.

This is not true with golf with the numerous variations of layouts. Golf is one of the few competitive sports that has a handicap system that will allow a lesser player to compete with better players under competitive conditions. The handicap system is standard but due to the varied type of courses it is not possible to handicap according to ability. Thus allowing for advantages of one player over another. With a handicap system based on rounds played on a standard course, such as my course, handicaps given players would be standard based on a players actual ability.

My golf course would allow a golf tournament to be played around the world by millions of players matching scores and using handicaps due to the fact that all courses are identical.

It is possible to make 18 variations of the golf course by using a single score card, by starting play on a different tee position. This still keeps the golf course standard yet allows variations so that one does not tire of playing the same course over and over. It is also possible to vary the course thousands of times by using different score cards.

My golf course gives all players equal opportunities. I. No one player will have the advantage over the other because he is more familiar with the course layout. 2. The hooker is penalized for nine holes for a bad shot on my course and a slicer penalized for nine holes thus making it equal. 3. Older players will not be penalized when playing a younger player since he is not required to have a contest of endurance instead of golf as the case may be on many golf courses. 4. The players are rewarded for each shot hit well and penalized for bad shots, this is not always true on the regular courses. There have been cases where poor shots bounce off of hills and end up on the green on some regular golf courses due to the typographic layout. There have been other cases when perfect shots end up in trouble due to hidden hazards known only to the regular player of the particular course, this will never happen on olympic golf since the entire playing area is visible at all times to all players.

My course will give the spectator a view of all players at all times and an opportunity to watch all shots. This is not possible on todays regular golf courses.

All the target greens and chipping greens will be a standard size 3,000 square feet in area. This is an excellent size for testing accuracy. There is no standard size on the regular golf courses in play today. There are some courses with greens as large as 15,000 square feet. A course such as this will allow a shot that is miss hit as much as 50 yards to still land on the green.

Olympic golf also standardizes putting. All water target greens hit will require the player to putt his first putt from a standard 22 feet that is an average distance for a first putt. Shorter putts are allowed only as a reward for a good chip shot or sand shot. The chipping greens and approach greens have circular markers 10 feet and 5 feet. Should a player get inside these distances he will be allowed a foot putt or 5 foot putt depending on where his chip or approach shot stops. A player is also rewarded for putting or chipping well from the fringe area of a green. It is possible for the player to chip in or chip within inches for his putt.

It is an object of this game to provide a means for playing a full 18 holes of golf without leaving a highly confined area and within the one confined area to always have a standardized condition as heretofore set forth. Another object of this invention is to provide a course upon which the play of each player may be directly related shot by shot and condition by condition to other players;

It is a further object of this invention to provide means for playing an entire 18 holes of golf wherein spectators may watch from one position to one field and watch all players at the same time.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of this invention will be clear to those skilled in the art upon reading the full specification which follows in conjunction with the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a preferred layout of this game;

FIG. 2 is a profile schematic view of the same embodiment shown in FIG. I but with the addition of a roofing area as indicated over the driving and green area;

FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of a green of the usual nature as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic drawing of a green combining a regular green with water as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a water target green as shown in FIG. land 2;

FIG. 6 is a representation of a score card as used in golf; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of a sand shot area as indicated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Symbol Description W Water Target An area filled with water but to simulate a green or area upon which it is desired to have a ball hit.

WG Water Green or G reen W ater A target area to illustrate a golf green in which there is a center area of water with a surrounding area of natural or artificial grass closely cropped as in a regular golf green.

G Regular Green Each regular green simulates a green on a standard golf course and is of natural or artificial close cropped grass.

TR Trap or Bunker These are hazard areas similar to sand traps and normally filled with sand as sand traps in regular golf courses.

T Tree These are natural or artificial trees on the boundaries ofthe course again used as trees normally exist on most golf courses.

TEE Tee Position There are l8 driving positions located upon the tee position to represent 18 different holes in a golf game.

Flag Pole Each of the flags indicates the area which is, or would be, the appropriate final hole position.

Fringe Fringe area adjacent the putting green area.

The course is layed out in rectangular shape 300 yards long by 133 yards wide. The fairways are 40 yards wide each. The target areas are 40 yards wide and rough and foliage areas 10 yards each. At each l yard interval down the course there are white stripes that will be marked with the yardages to indicate to the player the distance his bail traveled or the distance remaining to hit to the green. All target greens are placed at standard distances and are of a standard size 50 feet by 60 feet or 3,000 square feet. The arrangement of the target greens gives complete yardage coverage. The target greens from 50 years away from the tee area to 270 yards away are regular shaped greens of gunited, or plastic water filled ponds. The greens 30 to 50 yards out are regular greens with a foot diameter centers of water. The greens l0 yards to 30 yards out are regular greens with a 10 foot diameter circle and a 5 foot diameter circle. All greens have flag poles with flags indicating the distance from the tee to the center of the target.

Surrounding each green from 30 yards out to the 280 yards are traps or bunkers as they are often called. These bunkers not only act as hazards but as light houses to assist the players judgment of distance. They are also used as decorative items to enhance the scene.

The tee position spreads across the width of the course with 18 tee positions. Between every other tee position there is a trap and alternately a rough area. The tee areas may be artificial grass, such as Astro Turf or Tarton Turf which will equalize the lie for all players. Directly behind the tee position there is a fringe area for run up shots or putting from off the putting surface. Directly behind this fringe area is the putting surface. Each of the putting surfaces behind the tee positions has different surface undulations, thereby providing varying putting situations for the players. This surface can also be an artificial grass if desired. The artificial grass will require less maintenance and be free of the elements.

All the water filled targets will have a submerged light to illuminate the water for night play. The sand traps, l0 yards stripes, flag poles, flags and shrubs may be coated with a luminescent material which glows at night for better distinction.

An interesting feature of the course layout is that the target green between the tee position and the target for the second or third shots become water hazards and are played as same. It is also interesting to note that the bunkers or traps surrounding the target greens also serve as fairway bunkers.

As illustrated in the drawings, the tee position is elevated and the fairway has a gradual slope up so as to make visibility of the ball easier. Note also that the green or target areas are elevated slightly and the surrounding traps tend to frame the target green and guide the player into the target.

The playing rules and method of play on an olympic golf course is identical to that played on any other course. Thus there is not need for a player to learn a new game.

To play the game the players will use the course score card or any score card that will dictate the play. Assuming that the score card indicates that the first hole is 350 yards par 4. The player will select the golf club (usually a driver) he would normally use on a hole of this length for his first shot.

The player will now drive and will observe the distance the ball travels. Assuming in this case that the ball stops at 200 yards, the player will have a remaining distance of 150 yards to reach the hole. Accordingly the next shot will be with a club that will carry the necessary yardage to the target green between 130 yards and 150 yards away. This second ball is hit from the tee area instead of going out to the ball. If the second shot lands on the target green the player was aiming at he will be on in 2 and when he putts he will be putting for a birdie 3. Had he missed the target with his second shot he will take a third shot from the tee with a club that will carry him the remaining distance to one of the greens directly in front of the tee that is closest to the remaining distance required.

After each player in the group is on the green the players move back to the putting surface and putt according to the length of putt that is determined as follows: If a player hits a target green 50 yards away or longer his first putt is from a distance of 22 feet. The targets that are less than 50 yards away will have indicators of shorter putts thus a player may be putting from a distance of 22 feet, 10 feet, 5 feet or even a shorter distance if he were running a shot from a simulated fringe area.

Let us assume that a player was attempting to hit the yard target area but landed in a trap surrounding the green instead, he then would drop a ball in the trap next to his tee position and blast out to one of the chipping target greens. He would then note the distance from the pin and putt that distance accordingly. In the event he made a bad trap shot and did not land on the chipping target, he would be required to drop another ball on the tee and chip the remaining distance before he would putt.

Again let us assume that a player hit his second or third shot into the water of one of the target greens between the player and the target he was aiming for. The player then takes a penaltyjust as though he were on a regular golf course having his ball land in a water hazard and chips the remaining distance to the green closest to that distance remaining to his target. After the players putt out and record their scores for that hole they move to the next tee position. Let us assume the score card indicates that the next hole is a 500 yard par 5 hole.

The players would drive down the fairway with a driver, drop a second ball on the tee and also hit it down the fairway as far as he can hit it and record the total distance of the two shots and then drop a third ball on the tee and hit it the remaining distance to the required target green. Example, tee shot 200 yards, second wood shot 180 yards for a total of 380 yards leaving a distance of 120 yards. He would then select a club that will carry this distance. If he hits the target he would be putting for a birdie 4 if he missed the green he would drop a forth ball and chip the remaining distance and be putting for a par 5. Should he two putt he would then score a bogey 6.

Let us now assume that the next hole is a 140 yard par 3 hole. The players would select the club for this short shot and attempt to get on the green with one shot. it is now important to note that any water target between the player and his target is treated as a water hazard.

The above procedure is followed until a full eighteen holes are played.

Thus, in playing the entire game, the score for each hole will be recorded on the score card. Any number of persons may play or one person may play alone. In the case where two or more players play together, they will play in rotation just as though they were on a regular course with the person who is farthest away from the target taking the next shot.

The advantages of play on this course over the present courses are many. I. The players remain grouped together throughout the game, thereby creating a more social atmosphere for play.

2. The course is arranged so that there are no blind shots and it does not give the advantage to one player, with so called local knowledge.

3. The entire playing area of the course can be protected from the weather, heated and air-conditioned.

4. It is much easier to light for night play.

5. Considerable less acreage necessary for an l8 hole golf course, 9 acres plus or minus as opposed to 120 acres plus or minus for the regular courses.

6. A construction cost of approximately one-fifth of that of the regular type course.

7. A truer test of the golf shots since the target green areas are a regulation 3,000 square feet size as opposed to greens of up to 15,000 square feet on the regular course.

8. Less than one-half the time required to play on olympic golf as opposed to the regular course thus allowing a person to play more golf in a given time.

9. Less frustrations for beginners and poor players, since there are no lost balls and very little holding up following players.

10. A standard playing area to determine truer handicaps.

11. Competitive golf can be played with spectators being able to see all shots made by the players. This is not true on a regular course since the players are scattered over an area of some acres.

12. Competitions can be held at a number of different courses for the same tournament since the courses are standard and as long as the players use the same score card everything becomes equal.

While the embodiment of this invention shown and described is fully capable of achieving the objects and advantages desired, many modifications will occur to those skilled in the art and it is not my intention to be restricted to the particular embodiment shown and described which is for illustrative purposes only.

Iclaim:

l. A golf course comprising an elongated fairway area including conventional golf course hazard and obstacles, a plurality of tee positions at one end of said fairway area, three groups of targets on said fairway area and all of said said targets having approximately the same target surface area, the targets of the first group each including a substantially continuous target surface having characteristics corresponding to those of a closely cropped grass golf green and being located adjacent said tee positions to provide targets for chipping and approach shots, the targets of the second group each including a generally uniformly sized central target area of water surrounded by a substantiall continuous target surface havin characteristics correspon mg to those of a closely croppe grass golf green and being located more remote from said tee positions than said first group of targets, and the targets of the third group each having a substantially continuous target surface of water and being located more remote from said tee positions than said second group of targets. 

1. A golf course comprising an elongated fairway area including conventional golf course hazard and obstacles, a plurality of tee positions at one end of said fairway area, three groups of targets on said fairway area and all of said said targets having approximately the same target surface area, the targets of the first group each including a substantially continuous target surface having characteristics corresponding to those of a closely cropped grass golf green and being located adjacent said tee positions to provide targets for chipping and approach shots, the targets of the second group each including a generally uniformly sized central target area of water surrounded by a substantially continuous target surface having characteristics corresponding to those of a closely cropped grass golf green and being located more remote from said tee positions than said first group of targets, and the targets of the third group each having a substantially continuous target surface of water and being located more remote from said tee positions than said second group of targets. 